C2 words CPE multiple choice

inexplicable /ˌɪnɪkˈsplɪkəbəl/

impossible to explain or account for; not capable of being understood or justified (formal/neutral)
Collocations: ~ phenomenon; ~ behavior; ~ disappearance; remain ~; seem ~
Synonyms (with register notes): unaccountable (formal), baffling (neutral), mystifying (neutral) weird/unexplainable (informal)
Antonyms: understandable (neutral), explicable (formal)
Example sentences (register shift):
(Formal): The committee found the sudden reversal of policy completely ~.
(Neutral): His reaction was so ~ that we all just stared at him.
(Informal): It’s totally ~ why she ghosted him after such a great date.
Contextual usage: Often used in academic, journalistic, and analytical contexts to express perplexity about events, behavior, or outcomes.
Transformation practice:
Original: No one could explain the strange noise.
With term: The strange noise remained ~.

answerable to

responsible or accountable to someone; obliged to explain one’s actions to them (formal/neutral)
Collocations: be ~ to the public; be ~ to one’s superiors; ~ only to; directly ~ to
Synonyms: accountable to (neutral), responsible to (neutral)
Antonyms: independent of (neutral), exempt from responsibility (formal)
Example sentences:
(Formal): All government officials are ~ to the citizens they serve.
(Neutral): As project manager, you’re ~ to the board.
(Informal): Around here, I’m ~ to nobody but my cat.
Contextual usage: Common in discussions of hierarchy, governance, ethics, or management structures.
Transformation practice:
Original: She reports directly to the CEO.
With term: She’s directly ~ the CEO.

conceive

to form or develop an idea, plan, or image in the mind; to imagine or understand (formal/neutral)
Collocations: ~ a plan; ~ of a new approach; difficult to ~; ~ the possibility
Synonyms: envisage /ɪnˈvɪz.ɪdʒ/ (formal), imagine (neutral), envision (neutral), imagine (informal/neutral)
Antonyms: disregard (neutral), ignore (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The project was originally ~d as a community initiative.
(Neutral): I can’t ~ of a world without the internet.
(Informal): Who could’ve ~d we’d end up here?
Contextual usage: Academic, literary, and professional settings; also used in everyday speech to express difficulty imagining something.
Transformation practice:
Original: We imagined a better way to organize the event.
With term: We ~d a better way to organize the event.

fall for sth hook, line and sinker

to be completely deceived or taken in by something without question (informal)
Collocations: ~ a scam ~; ~ the lie ~; ~ a trick ~
Synonyms: be taken in (neutral), swallow something whole (informal)
Antonyms: see through something (neutral/informal), be skeptical of (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The public appeared to accept the misleading report entirely.
(Neutral): He ~ the fake news story ~.
(Informal): I can’t believe you ~ that prank ~!
Contextual usage: Common in conversational English, journalism, and narrative writing about gullibility.
Transformation practice:
Original: She believed his excuse completely.
With term: She ~ his excuse ~.

presentable

of an acceptable or decent standard; adequate for showing to others (neutral)
Collocations: ~ coffee; ~ meal; make sth ~; serve sth ~; turn sth into a ~ version
Synonyms (with register notes): decent (neutral), acceptable (neutral), passable (neutral/informal)
Antonyms: poor-quality (neutral), substandard (formal/neutral)
Example sentences (register shift):
(Formal): The catering team ensured the refreshments were of a ~ quality for the conference.
(Neutral): I can make a ~ cup of coffee, but nothing fancy.
(Informal): This is the most ~ my cooking’s ever looked!
Contextual usage: Used for food, drink, and objects that meet an adequate standard for social or professional settings, even if not exceptional.
Transformation practice:
Original: The coffee was good enough to serve to guests.
With term: The coffee was ~ enough to serve to guests.

evocative /ɪˈvɑkətɪv/

bringing strong images, memories, or feelings to mind (formal/literary)
Collocations: ~ imagery; ~ description; ~ of childhood; highly ~
Synonyms: poignant /ˈpɔɪ.njənt/ (sadness) (formal), expressive (neutral), haunting (literary)
Antonyms: uninspiring (neutral), bland (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The novel’s ~ descriptions transport readers to a bygone era.
(Neutral): That song is so ~ of summer days.
(Informal): Her photos are super ~—they hit you right in the feels.
Contextual usage: Common in reviews, literature, and artistic commentary.
Transformation practice:
Original: The painting reminded me strongly of my hometown.
With term: The painting was ~ of my hometown.

reminiscent of /ˌreməˈnɪsənt/

reminding one of something else, especially from the past (formal/neutral)
Collocations: ~ of childhood; strongly ~ of; vaguely ~ of
Synonyms: suggestive of (formal), redolent of /ˈred.əl.ənt/ (formal/literary), evocative of (formal), reminds you of (informal)
Antonyms: dissimilar to (neutral), unlike (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The architecture is strongly ~ of the Renaissance style.
(Neutral): His new album is ~ of his early work.
(Informal): That café’s totally ~ of the one we used to hang out in.
Contextual usage: Common in descriptions of style, art, culture, or atmosphere.
Transformation practice:
Original: This dish tastes like the food I had in Italy.
With term: This dish is ~ of the food I had in Italy.

suggestive

making someone think of something, often indirectly or with implied meaning (formal/neutral); sometimes implying sexual connotations (informal/neutral)
Collocations: ~ remark; ~ glance; highly ~; be ~ of
Synonyms: allusive (formal), indicative (neutral), insinuating (neutral)
Antonyms: explicit (neutral), unambiguous (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The findings are highly ~ of systemic issues.
(Neutral): His tone was ~ of disappointment.
(Informal): That’s a pretty ~ wink you gave her.
Contextual usage: Academic use for implication/inference; conversational use for flirtation or innuendo.
Transformation practice:
Original: The evidence pointed toward corruption.
With term: The evidence was ~ of corruption.

inducing /ɪnˈdusɪŋ/

causing or bringing about a particular state, feeling, or action (formal/neutral)
Collocations: sleep-; anxiety-; labor-; ~ a reaction; ~ fear
Synonyms: triggering (neutral), causing (neutral), prompting (neutral)
Antonyms: preventing (neutral), inhibiting (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The medication is capable of ~ drowsiness.
(Neutral): It’s a really stress- kind of job.
(Informal): That movie was nightmare-~ for me.
Contextual usage: Common in medical, scientific, and descriptive contexts, as well as figurative everyday speech.
Transformation practice:
Original: The speech made the audience feel inspired.
With term: The speech was inspiration-~ for the audience.

stranded /ˈstrændɪd/

left without the means to move from somewhere; stuck (neutral/informal)
Collocations: be ~ at the airport; leave someone ~; remain ~; ~ passengers
Synonyms: stuck (neutral/informal), marooned /məˈruːnd/ (neutral), abandoned (neutral)
Antonyms: rescued (neutral), retrieved (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): Due to the strike, hundreds of travelers were left ~.
(Neutral): We got ~ when our car broke down in the middle of nowhere.
(Informal): Totally ~ here—no Wi-Fi and no ride home.
Contextual usage: Travel mishaps, survival situations, figurative uses for being stuck in a bad situation.
Transformation practice:
Original: We couldn’t leave because the bus never came.
With term: We were ~ because the bus never came.

derelict /ˈderəˌlɪkt/

in a very poor condition due to neglect or disuse; abandoned (formal/neutral)
Collocations: ~ building; ~ ship; lie ~; leave sth ~
Synonyms: abandoned (neutral), neglected (neutral), dilapidated /dɪˈlæpədeɪt̬ɪd/ (formal)
Antonyms: maintained (neutral), cared-for (neutral)
Example sentences:
(Formal): The city council plans to restore the ~ theater to its former glory.
(Neutral): They explored a ~ house on the edge of town.
(Informal): That place is totally ~—like something out of a horror movie.
Contextual usage: Common in property descriptions, urban exploration, historical accounts.
Transformation practice:
Original: The warehouse was old and in bad condition.
With term: The warehouse was ~.